Pakistan, Save Young Girl From Stoning!
- by: Lynn Hamilton
- recipient: Prime Minister of Pakistan Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
An angry mob of one thousand people is trying to stone a Christian Pakistani girl who may be as young as eleven years old.
Rimsha Masih stands accused of blasphemy under Pakistan laws for allegedly burning a few pages out of Quranic verse, a text widely regarded as holy by the Islamic faith. She is being held by police in order to protect her from certain death by a mob who is trying to stone her. Reports of the girl's age vary--with her neighbors claiming she is only eleven years old--and mentally disabled.
Rimsha has already been beaten and had her clothes torn off her by angry religious zealots. Clearly, she does not deserve to die a violent death or serve a prison sentence over destruction of a book. Tell Pakistan's prime minister to ensure the safety of Rimsah, even if he has to relocate her along with her family to another part of the world.
We the undersigned are appalled to learn that a young girl, Rimsha Masih, is in danger of being stoned or serving a prison sentence for blasphemy under Pakistan laws.
Masih stands accused of burning pages from a holy religious text. It is unclear whether she can even be held responsible for her own actions. By some accounts, she is disabled. In any event and while we respect people of all faiths, we sincerely believe that Rimsha should be forgiven. To serve a prison sentence or be stoned by an angry mob is far out of proportion to the seriousness of her crime.
Please do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of this young girl and her family.
